1. Character – Pres. Obama is a statesman, reasoned, mature, optimistic, morally responsible, doesn’t kneejerk or saber-rattle, unflappable in the face of crisis, unfair slurs, and a deadlocked Congress.
2. The economy – Dow Jones is at 98% of its pre-recession high, unemployment has fallen for 11 months, 4 million jobs have been created, and the auto industry bailout saved a million jobs and a depression. Some of the abuses of Wall Street and the banking industry have been regulated, a Consumer Finance Protection Agency has been created, the minimum wage raised, and $2 trillion in budget cuts are proposed.
3. World peace – The Iraq war was ended, American credibility abroad has improved especially in Europe and Asia, the START treaty reduced Russian and US nuclear missiles, and stiff sanctions against Iran were imposed and tough negotiations are ongoing.
4. Defense – US defense strategy employed small, targeted strikes successfully in Libya, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to kill Bin Laden and 36 Al Queda leaders, planned defense budget cuts will save $500 billion over l0 years.
5. Taxes – Extended payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits, reduced some Social Security taxes, urged the wealthiest 5% who own half the nation’s wealth to pay their fair share.
6. Energy – Domestic production of oil and gas is up 50% since 2006, 75% of offshore oil and gas fields are being opened up, alternative energy industries have been expanded. Gas prices are controlled by speculators and oil industries, not the president. The president will approve the Keystone pipeline when an alternate, environmentally sound route is proposed, although the oil is slated primarily for China by the Canadian oil companies.
7. Health care –The Health Care Reform Act gives all Americans health care and regulates insurance abuses, the CHIP program has been expanded, and Veterans health care is improved.
8. Education – The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided funding for poor schools and 9 states, student loan expenses have been lowered, Pell grants expanded, tax credits given to lower income families, and technical and community college job training programs expanded so that available technical jobs can be filled.
9. Human Rights – Abolished “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, denounced proposed cuts to women’s health care, supported immigration reform, made overdue reparations to Native American and poor black landowners, wants to help the l in 2 Americans who live in poverty.
10. Housing – Foreclosures are down 13% in 2012, lower interest rates helped spur new housing starts by 1.2 million in Feb.
I rest my case. I believe Pres. Obama has earned a second term.
Hazel A. Smith
Stevensville